along that narrow path through the pestilential
marshes and the great forests where no light penetrated through the thick
foliage of the giant trees for several weeks, always due north and
passing villages sometimes, until we crossed the Sene river, ascended the
mountains beyond, and found ourselves upon a great level grass-covered
plateau, which occupied us several days in traversing. At last we came to
the border of Prempeh's kingdom, crossed the Volta river that wound in
the brilliant sunlight for many miles like a golden thread among the
trees, and soon entered the fertile country of the Dagombas, a
wild-looking tribe who were allies of the great Naya. At Yendi, seven
days' march through the bush from the Volta, we interviewed the Dagomba
king and received a most enthusiastic welcome. Presents of food and
slaves were given us, as well as a musket each, with some curious
ivory-hilted knives, and we were treated as honoured guests of his sable
majesty, who, Omar informed me, was indebted to the Naya for his royal
position.

This welcome was therefore only what we expected, nevertheless, our life
during the few days at Yendi was of a very different character to the
miserable existence we had experienced during our long march to the
confines of Ashanti. But Omar was impatient to fulfil the commands of his
mother, and we did not remain longer than was absolutely necessary, in
order not to give offence to the king; however, one morning we snapped
fingers with him and, with two hundred decidedly savage-looking men as
escort, we moved away still due north on our journey to the mysterious
land of the Great White Queen.

The King of Dagomba had told me, in answer to my enquiries, that neither
himself nor any of his men had ever entered Mo. The inhabitants were a
very powerful and fearless people, he knew, and their soldiers were as
numerous as an army of locusts. The men of Mo were an admirable race, he
added, and although no stranger had ever been admitted to the mysterious
realm, yet its power was feared by every West African ruler without
exception.

It gratified me to think that I should be the first to set foot within a
land forbidden to any who had not been born there, and I grew extremely
impatient to set eyes upon the country to the throne of which my
light-hearted friend Omar was heir. Travelling quickly, with but few
delays, we crossed the Busanga country, mainly covered by dense, dark
forest and unhealthy marsh